Friday, January 28, 2011

Comfort Food: Dissected





With all the bitterly cold weather we've been getting and crazy amounts of snow, I think it is safe to say that the people of Boston are looking for some serious amounts of comfort food. Mmm comfort food. The very mention of it makes me smile. When the wind is blowing outside, or a day has been especially difficult there is nothing that compares to sitting down to a big serving of whatever your favorite food is.




I think that is one thing that I really love about comfort food-everyone has a different definition of what it is, and it completely depends on mood. The way I see it though- there are several categories for comfort food: cheesy, hearty, and sweet.




The cheesy group is full of all those great foods like nachos and pizza. The cheesy goodness, melted and oozing, elicits smiles almost immediately. When I am feeling low, I have to say, pulling a chip free from a pile bound together by melted cheese, I feel better instantaneously. Perhaps it's just the concentration on keeping the remainder of the pile in place, or maybe it is the sheer anticipation of the delicious tastes I am about to enjoy, but it is a wonderful thing.




The hearty category may include things like beef stew, chili, heaping bowls of pasta, and burgers-mmmm. These indulgent treats are warming. And filling. They settle into your stomach like a satisfied sigh, and spread their steaming decadence like a fluffy comforter.




Finally the sweet group. Now this, to me, includes many many options- starting, of course, with a warm straight from the oven chocolate chip cookie. Honestly is there anything that can transport you back to happy places than a delicious, soft, chewy, warm and chocolatey cookie? Maybe a gooey hot fudge Sunday, whipped cream piled on top, ice cream melting into the fudge creating a river of deliciousness is more your speed. Or warm apple pie, the perfect combination of spice, sugar and tart apples.




So on another chilly evening, the end of a long week when comfortable weekend apparel is calling- what is your favorite type of comfort food?



4 comments:

Dan said...

For me, Pasta is always number 1, particularly mac and cheese, but I also go nuts for slow cooked meats that are falling apart. hmm, but I just realized that i've never had a bad day that tacos couldn't fix...

Extreme Ice Cream said...

My comfort food is ice cream! Even if it is cold outside! Follow me back? - http://extremeicecream.blogspot.com/

The Small Boston Kitchen said...

My comfort food of choice? Cheese, cheese, CHEESE! I can't get enough of it. I opened my tiny refrigerator last week and counted nine different types of cheeses. This post made me hungry...

Anonymous said...

I'm a sucker for Pho when I'm sick or I'm cold or I'm alone in the house. It's just the best!

Or anything with bacon is pretty comforting too ;)

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